Japanese tier 10 planes

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Now, I've just been looking through the files, and there's things in there for the two absent IJN CVs, including their planes. Now, all the Taihou stuff is great and makes sense, but the planes for Taihou Kai... I'll just show you and see what you think.

(Torpedo) Bomber:

R2Y1 Keiun

Dive (Bomber):

J5N

Fighter:

J7W

Yokosuka R2Y1 Keiun

If you know your Japanese naming conventions, the first thing that stands out is that it's a reconnaissance plane. With an enormous 3,400hp, it was a very fast recon plane. In fact, its maximum speed was more than 100kph faster than the F8F Bearcat's. One of the most interesting features in relation to carriers (other than its utter inability to use them) is its size; complete with an aerial torpedo, this aircraft would weigh in at over nine tons.

Nakajima J5N

Again, this is not a plane one would associate with this in-game class. The J5N was not a dive bomber, but, rather, a prototype twin engine heavy fighter. Weighing in at just over seven tons, this plane was modestly fast for the age, and could carry a single centreline 250kg bomb -- less than even the humble D3A1.

Kyushu J7W

The J7W was a high altitude interceptor designed to hold back B-29 terror bombing raids. Nearly as fast as the R2Y1, the J7W was an unusual canard design, and concentrated a terrifying four 30mm cannon (and two rifle calibre machineguns for aiming) in the nose. It was extremely fast and extremely heavily armed. The cost of all of this was an enormously high stall speed, which made it about as agile as a freight train.

None of these would come close to being able to operate from a carrier, even given the appropriate gear, but in a wargaming game little things like that can be overlooked without much problem. What bothers me, however, is how altered these aircraft will have to be to fit into the game. In fact, I do believe that the J7W may be the best idea for a tier 10 fighter, but I will compare these each to another tier 10 candidate, to show why I think that adopting them is strange.

Torpedo bomber:

B7A3. A proposed upgrade to the tier 9 bomber, giving it 400 more horsepower. Would be the same as the tier 9 bomber, but faster, more survivable, and with a better torpedo. Has the advantage of actually being a naval torpedo bomber. Only disadvantage compared to R2Y1 is speed, but could reach similar speeds at low altitude, and R2Y1 would have to have restricted speed in game were it not to massively outpace its own escort fighters.

Dive bomber:

Kikka. A jet bomber designed to attack ships. Was undergoing trials for catapult launching (wink wink, carriers) which resulted in its destruction. Could carry an enormous bomb load and was very light. Although a jet, it had a top speed similar to the B7A3, and vastly below that of the J7W and R2Y1; so basic was its construction, that it required far fewer man hours than a Zero, and the prototype was largely recycled from crashed aircraft. Has the advantage of being a light bomber rather than a heavy fighter, and could carry a more reasonable load for the tier. Is a far more sensible size. Was intended to make catapult takeoffs.

Fighter:

N1K4-A. A navalised and up-engined version prototype of one of the IJN's best land-based aircraft. Could outpace an A7M (at tier 9), as well as beat it quite thoroughly in nearly every aspect of mobility. Far more mobile than the J7W, although with slightly less overkill in its cannon, and being far slower. This is basically being proposed because I can't remember what the latest stance on the US tier 10 fighter is: if it's to be a Banshee, then the J7W is needed, if it's to be a prop, then the N1K4-A would be a far more sensible match. An actual fighter rather than a pure interceptor, a carrier based plane, and a far better dogfighter. It's only problem would be that a Banshee would leave it in the dust.

Although I've just noticed that they also have the A8M in there, which is pretty much the same as my proposed N1K4-A, so I'm kinda lost. Oh, well.

I also thought that the F2H got un-confirmed at some point?

If it did can someone provide a source? Also if the J7W1 if in game then that kinda makes no sense, the J7 series, although designed for the Navy, were never meant for carrier duty, and the R2Y2 would make for a Better Dive Bomber, with the Kikka as the Fighter.

Edited May 14, 2015 by Commodore_Ahsoka_Tano

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If it did can someone provide a source? Also if the J7W1 if in game then that kinda makes no sense, the J7 series, although designed for the Navy, were never meant for carrier duty, and the R2Y2 would make for a Better Dive Bomber, with the Kikka as the Fighter.

I can't remember from where, so no. That was the reason for the question mark.

Kikka was intended as a ship bomber, not a fighter. Its low weight and high drag, coupled with very thin wings, would make it an extremely poor fighter even if we ignored its complete lack of guns to shoot the enemy with. It would have the ability to dive bomb, however, whilst the R2Y2 would only be able to glide bomb at best, and would be the least suited of the lot for carrier operations. The R2Y2 would, undoubtedly, have been the better aircraft, but that does not mean that the game should have it in. It would be uninterceptably fast, for a start, and would also be unbelievable as a carrier aircraft even to those who care least about physics. Certainly it would be worse for such than the J7Ws would have been.

I can't remember from where, so no. That was the reason for the question mark.

My question was a bit broader and to anyone who can find a source ^^

Kikka was intended as a ship bomber, not a fighter. Its low weight and high drag, coupled with very thin wings, would make it an extremely poor fighter even if we ignored its complete lack of guns to shoot the enemy with. It would have the ability to dive bomb, however, whilst the R2Y2 would only be able to glide bomb at best, and would be the least suited of the lot for carrier operations. The R2Y2 would, undoubtedly, have been the better aircraft, but that does not mean that the game should have it in. It would be uninterceptably fast, for a start, and would also be unbelievable as a carrier aircraft even to those who care least about physics. Certainly it would be worse for such than the J7Ws would have been.

True, though in WT it did have 1x to 2x 30mm Cannons. But even then WG did say the Tier X's in WoWS will have upgrades, so perhaps, the Aircraft on the Tier X Carrier are just what it has when stock.